NEW FOR MONDAY: Resort Man Caught Stealing Car, Then Jumps In Bay

OCEAN CITY — Just nine days after being charged in connection with six burglaries in the Montego Bay area, an Ocean City man was arrested again early Saturday morning after allegedly stealing a car in the resort and jumping into the bay in an attempt to avoid capture.< ?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office">

On Jan. 3, Ocean City police concluded a nine-month investigation into multiple burglaries with the arrest of Alexander George Ellis, 20, of Ocean City. For nine months, OCPD detectives investigated seven burglaries, all of which occurred in the Montego Bay community during the month of May.

Around 5:30 a.m. on Saturday, police responded to the area of Beachcomber Lane for a reported motor vehicle theft. When officers arrived in the area, they observed a vehicle matching the description of the reported stolen car parked near the victim’s residence with the engine running and a person sitting in the driver’s seat.

As officers approached the stolen car, the driver, later identified as Ellis, fled from the vehicle and jumped into the bay. Ellis was located and pulled from the water by officers and placed under arrest. During the investigation, OCPD officers located several items in the vehicle that did not belong to the owner of the car. The investigation revealed Ellis had allegedly stolen several items out of other vehicles belonging to at least three victims who lived in the area.

As a precaution, Ellis was seen by Ocean City paramedics and transported to AGH where he was treated and later released to police. He has been charged with theft from $1,000 to $10,000, theft less than $100, theft scheme and rogue and vagabond. He was also charged with numerous traffic violations including taking a vehicle without the owner’s consent and attempting to elude uniformed police by fleeing on foot.

Ellis was out on bail at the time of Saturday’s incident after posting a $50,000 bond following his arrest for the six burglaries in Montego Bay. He had already pleaded guilty to one of the seven burglaries.

On June 7, the OCPD arrested Ellis after connecting him to a burglary on May 11. During the course of the investigation into several north-end burglaries, OCPD detectives developed Ellis as a suspect. OCPD officers served a search and seizure warrant on Ellis’ residence in regards to a separate incident when they discovered several items reported stolen in a burglary on May 11. In November, Ellis pleaded guilty to third-degree burglary after his arrest for another break-in in north Ocean City and was sentenced to three years, all but six months of which were suspended.

However, OCPD detectives were able to link Ellis to the six other burglaries in Montego Bay in May. During the initial investigation, detectives developed information from evidence obtained at several crime scenes and enlisted the assistance of the Montego Bay Neighborhood Watch Association. The information obtained developed Ellis as a suspect in the Montego Bay break-ins.

OCPD detectives began receiving analysis of forensic evidence obtained at several of the crime scenes. As a result of that forensic analysis, in conjunction with other evidence obtained during the investigation, OCPD detectives have charged Ellis with the remaining unsolved Montego Bay burglaries.

In addition, OCPD detectives have identified and charged a second suspect, a juvenile male from Washington, D.C., whom they believe was Ellis’ accomplice during the seven Montego Bay burglaries in May. The second suspect has been charged through the Department of Juvenile Services.

Featured Stories

SALISBURY – The Community Foundation of the Eastern Shore raised more than $88,000 during its second annual “Shore Gives More” campaign. The foundation’s online campaign allowed individuals to find charities from Worcester, Wicomico and Somerset counties and give them the opportunity to donate on one site. “The Community Foundation serves a diverse audience of organizations,”… Read more »

OCEAN CITY — New regulations prohibiting bow-riding on vessels could be in place as soon as next spring after a productive meeting last week between the area’s representatives in Annapolis and state boating officials. In the wake of several serious boating accidents in the resort last summer, including a fatal propeller strike that claimed the… Read more »

OCEAN CITY — Roughly nine miles off the coast of Ocean City, a quiet memorial and final resting place of a beloved long-time resort local, who passed a year ago this month, is now symbolically teeming with life as part of growing artificial reef site. Tony Meredith, known reverently and affectionately as “Uncle Tony” by… Read more »

OCEAN CITY — Calling a potential designation of the offshore Baltimore Canyon as the nation’s first Urban National Marine Sanctuary potentially “devastating” to the multi-million dollar fishing industry, resort officials this week agreed to send a letter of opposition to state and federal representatives. In October, National Aquarium officials announced they were seeking an Urban… Read more »